The story of the Rice boys captured by the Indians, August 8, 1704

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THE STORY

OF THE

RIGD BOYS

e Story of the Rice B

Captured by the Indians
August 8, 1704

AS WRITTEN BY

REV. EBENEZER PARKMAN
May, 1769

WESTBO ROUGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1906

Gift
Society
NOV 7 181$

FOUR RICES CAPTIVATED.
1704.

On Aug. 8 th, in the year 1704, at the south part of
Marlboro', then called Chauncy, now Westboro', as Sev-
eral Persons were busy in Spreading Flax, on a plain
about fourscore rods from the House of Mr. Thomas Rice
(who was for several years Representative for Marlboro')
and a number of Boys with them, two of which were Sons
of the said Mr. Thomas Rice ; & three others, sons of Mr.
Edmund Rice ; Seven, some say Ten, Indians, suddenly
rushed down a woody Hill close by, and Seizing & scalp-
ing the least of the Boys, (one of ye three last mentioned,
& about five years old) they took the other four captive,
the two sous of Mr. Thomas Rice, Namely Asher and
Adonijah, the oldest about 10, the other about 8 years ;
and the other two of Mr. Edmund Rice, of about 9 & 7,
their Names, Silas and Timothy ; and carryd them away
to Canada; those persons who were spreading Flax,
escaping to the House safely.

Asher, in about four years, returned, being redeemed
by his Father. This was bro't about by the kind Media-
tion of the Rev. Mr. Lydius, then Minister of Albany.
[It is a little observable, that when the old Indian sachem,

4

THE STORY OF THE RICE BOYS.

Ountassogo (the Chief of the Cagnawagas at the Confer-
ence wtb. Govr. Belcher at Deerfield) made a Visit to Bos-
ton, & stop'd a while here in this Town, the foreinen-
tioned Asher Saw him and knew him to be one of those
Indians, who rushd down the Hill, as above, when the
Children were captivated.] This Mr. Asher Rice is now
living in Spencer. His Brother Adonijah grew up in
Canada ; but marry d first a French, afterwards a Dutch
woman ; settled in Husbandry, on some Land a little way
off from Montreal, on the North Side of the great River ;
has had a good Farm there for many Years, as we have
been certifyd ; and he is, very probably, now living there
at this Day.

As to the two other Boys, Silas and Timothy, (Sons of
Mr. Edmund Rice aforesaid) we have had credible In-
formation from time to time, y1 they mixd with the In-
dians ; lost their Mother Tongue ; had indian Wives, &
Children by them and liv'd at Cagnawaga. Their Friends
among us had news of them not long since, that they were
then alive ; So that they may be in all probability there
still.

But respecting Timothy, the younger of them, who is
by much the most noticeable, the Accts. we have always
had, have represented him, as having been for many
Years, the Third of the Six Chiefs of that Tribe before
mentioned. This Advancem1 I understand was upon the
Death of his Master, or Foster-Father, who adopted him
to be his Son, instead of a son which he, the former Chief,

THE STORY OF THE) RICK BOYS.

5

had lost. But however, Timothy had much recommended
himself to the Indians by his own superior Talents ; his
Penetration, Courage, strength & warlike spirit; for
which he was much celebrated. This was evident to me
when in Conversation with the late Mohawk Sachem
Hendrick & Mr. Kellogg, at the Time of their being in
the Massachusetts ; and his Name was among them the
same that we had known him by, viz

OuGHTZORONGOUGHTON.

— But he himself, in process of Time, came to see us.

By the Interposition of Col. Lydius, & ye Captain Tarbel
(who was carryd away from Groton) a Letter was sent me,
bearing date July 23, 1740, which certifyd that if one of
their Brethren here, would go up to Albany, & be there
at a Time specify'd, they would meet him there ; & that
One of them at least, would come hither to visit their
Friends in New England. This Proposal was readily
comply' d with and it succeeded. For the Chief abovesaid
came hither. The said Mr. Tarbell came also with him
as an Interpreter & Companion. They arrived here Sept.
15th. They view'd the House where Mr. Rice dwelt, &
the Place from whence the Children above spoke of,
were captivated ; of both which he retained a clear Re-
membrance ; as he did likewise of Several elderly Persons
who were then living ; tho' he had forgot our Language.
His Bxcellcy Govr. Belcher sent for them ; who according-
ly wTaited on him at Boston. They visited also Tarbels

6

THE STORY OF THE RICE BOYS.

Relations at Groton ; and then returned to us in tlieir
Way back to Albany & Canada.

Col. Lydius, when at Boston a while ago, Said this Rice
was the Chief who made the Speech to Gen1. Gage (which
we had in our public Prints) in behalf of ye Cagnawaga's,
Soon after the Reduction of Montreal. This last may be
further enquired into ; but the rest which I have here
writ, is from good Authority, as I humbly Suppose. In
particular as to the Captivating ; three Persons who were
Present, & escap'd the Indians Hands, as abovesaid, are
now alive, and testifie to this Acc1.

I am &c.

EBR. PARKMAN.

Westboro'
May 1769.

Note:— The above article was written on the first
two pages of a folded sheet of paper, 12i by % inches,
with a wide margin at the back edge. The title at the
head is on the fourth page. The paper is much discolored
and is worn in the creases and at the edges, but the writ-
ing is very clear and legible.

It has been carefully treasured by the descendants of
Mr. Parkman, whose great-great-granddaughter, Mrs. W.
R. Gould, has presented it to the Society.

THE DEDICATION OF THE MEMORIAL TABLET.

The Westborough Historical Society, on its field day,
Sept. 5, 1904, met at the junction of the land of J. W.
Brittan and F. V. Bartlett, on West Main Street, where a
boulder given by L. A. Belknap had been placed.

At 9.30 o'clock, the Committee on marking historic
sites, C. S. Henry, I. M. Beaman and E. C. Bates, re-
ported that it. was believed that the capture took place
near where the flag was set in the rear of the Bartlett barn.

The tablet was unveiled and the president, S. I. Briant,
said, 4 'As president of the Westborough Historical Society
it gives me pleasure to accept this your work, as now be-
fore us and to declare it in every way well done ; the
stone rightly located and firmly placed and the tablet ap-
propriately inscribed and securely set. May it serve to
remind the passer-by of the heroic sacrifices of our fathers
two centuries ago and of the kind Providence that was
with them, is with us today and will be forever with the
generations yet to come."

Prayer was offered by Rev. W. C. Townsend. The
choir with cornet then led in the singing of "Our Father's
God, to Thee."

Later, at the Eli Whitney place, Judge W. T. Forbes
of Worcester gave an interesting address on the Rice boys.
Having visited Canada several times, he was enabled to-
present many facts new to most and exhibited several In-
dian relics used by the "Cagnawagas."

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